Claymore: Eye of the Demon
by DragonKnightRyu
Summary: What happens when you take away the one thing that keeps a man going? You give him nothing to lose in his quest to kill you... and your brethren.


Disclaimer: I do not Claymore otherwise Teresa would not have been killed by Priscilla like a pussy.

"Talking"

'_Thinking_'

"**Yoma Talking**"

'_**Yoma thinking**_'

Chapter One: 'Demon Eye' Ryu

A man looking to be in his late twenties yawned as he walked down a well worn road through a lightly wooded area, he was a tall fellow standing at an impressive 6'11" with tanned skin that had several scars across it, the most notable one peeked out behind a cloth eye patch over the man's left eye with the symbol for 'Sight' emblazoned on it. His right was a dark emerald green and was incredibly sharp picking out every detail as his gaze swept through the area ensuring his safety. He was lightly armored wearing a plate of dark metal over his heart on both sides of his body over top a black sleeveless tunic, his right arm held a fingerless gauntlet that went up to just below his elbow and a pair of shin guards over top a pair of woodland cameo pants, both the gauntlet and shin guards were made of the same dark metal as the metal plate. Over his right shoulder he carried a quiver about half filled with arrows while he carried a bladed bow over his left shoulder, attached to his belt on his lower back was a slightly curved sword resting in a scabbard, he also carried a large duffel bag in his right arm

The man cut an imposing figure as he walked seemingly at ease through the woods approaching a rather small village. People stared at him as he entered the village for a second before shrugging and returning back to their daily lives. The man approached the village smithy where a large man hammered away on a stubborn piece of metal shaping it to his will "Excuse me," The man called out getting the smith's attention who gestured for the man to wait for a second as he placed the metal back into the forge to heat it up again.

"Yeah?" The smith replied turning to the man "You need something fixed?"

"I was wondering if you can make me some arrowheads?" The man queried pulling out an arrow from his quiver and showing the smith the unique arrowhead, instead of the standard triangular shaped arrowhead it instead was a spiraled cone "Do you think you can make about two dozen of these?"

The smith inspected the arrowhead carefully with a critical eye "Don't think I've ever seen an arrow like this before," The smith admitted "What's it meant for?"

The man smirked slightly and shrugged "A man needs his secrets," He said mysteriously getting a snort from the smith "How much?"

The smith appraised the arrowhead again "25 Beras," He said "Never done any like this, it'll be done tomorrow."

The man nodded and reached into a pocket on the duffel bag and pulled out the requested number of Beras and handed it over to the man "Is their a place I can rest for the night?" He asked as the smith counted out the money.

"Just up the main road is an inn, the 'Dancing Mare'." The smith replied turning back to his work.

Following the smith's directions he headed up the road to the inn and inspected the outside of it. It was a rather weathered looking two story building with a few cracks in the walls but stable nonetheless. "Not the worst place I would have slept in." The man muttered to himself before entering the building.

The warmth of a fire burning in the hearth greeted him as he entered the building and was immediately beset by the smell of roasting meat making his stomach growl in the need for food "Ah, welcome traveler!" The innkeeper called out in greeting, she was a slightly portly looking woman with kind brown eyes and long graying black hair wearing a simple dress and apron "May ye be interested in some roast beast?"

The man smiled and nodded "That sounds great, do you have any ale?" He asked as he set his gear down next to the bar before taking a seat.

"Only the best in the area," The innkeeper said proudly as a young serving girl, with strawberry blond hair and bright blue eyes with a rather attractive figure wearing a light blue dress that showed her cleavage and stopped mid thigh showing off her legs, brought the plate of meat to him with a pretty smile "Me be called Adie, the girl be Kel. What be you business if ye don't mind me askin'?"

"My name's Ryu," Ryu said in greeted bowing his head slightly "And I'm just passing through and having some arrowheads made by the smith."

Adie nodded in understanding "That be Kel's father Ron," She said "He be a good smith, does good work."

Ryu grinned as he took a bite of the roast and groaned appreciatively "I must say this is some of the best roast I have ever tasted." He said approvingly taking a swig of the ale "Local herbs?"

Adie nodded with a toothy smile revealing that one of her teeth were missing "Aye, Kel seems to find the best ones," She said making Kel blush slightly from the praise "Something she learned from her mother, bless her soul."

"Did she pass away?" Ryu asked conversationally looking to Kel whose smile dropped a little "Sorry, rude question."

Kel shook her head "It is no problem," She assured in a soft voice "She had been killed by wild animals about a week ago."

"Sorry for your loss," Ryu said with a regretful smile "And I must say you _must _have gotten your beautiful looks from her, I mean no disrespect to your father, but he couldn't have been nowhere pretty enough for you to have gotten his looks."

Kel ducked her head as her blush darkened with a smile on her face making Adie laugh amusedly before looking Ryu over with a critical eye "Me thinks me have heard rumors of a man of yea's appearance and name, called him 'Demon Eye' Ryu they did," She said calmly looking Ryu over to see his reaction "That be ye no? The man who killed a Yoma?"

Ryu looked at Adie with a mysterious smile before tapping the skin under his eyepatch "Not without a cost," He said "Took my eye just to get in close enough to sever its head."

Adie nodded staring at the patch with a smile "Ironic to have the symbol for sight over a missing eye no?" She asked amusedly getting a chuckle from Ryu "Can't see why battle hardened men would piss their pant's at the name of 'Demon Eye' though, or how you got that name..."

"Everyone has their little secrets," He counter as he finished his meal with a smile "You wouldn't happen to have a room available for the night would you?"

"Aye, we do," Adie assured with a nod dropping the subject "Kel will show ye to it."

"Please, follow me." Kel said with a slight blush and smile.

Ryu nodded and followed the young woman up to the second floor where she guided him to a simple room, Kel bowed slightly to him as he entered and smiled enticingly "Please cal me if you need _anything._" She said with a demure smile making Ryu's eyebrow rise as he grinned slightly and nodded.

"Maybe later tonight." He replied with a calm ease making Kel smile before bowing her head and leaving the room "Didn't expect entertainment tonight, nice..."

_That Night_

Ryu awoke to a high-pitched scream of fear that echoed through the village right outside of the inn. Next to him Kel awoke with a start as he leapt from the bed throwing on his pants and ensuring his eyepatch was firmly in place as he scooped up his sword "Stay here." He ordered the woman who fearfully nodded clutching the blankets over her breasts as he flew out to the cool night air.

Whipping his head around his eye settled on a darkened figure hunched over a body and narrowed it as it stood revealing a towering figure with golden eyes "Yoma." Ryu growled whipping his sword out of the scabbard revealing a dark single edged katana with whorls of white in the metal.

"**What's this?" **The Yoma asked turning to Ryu with an amused glint in it's eyes **"A Human who thinks he can fight a Yoma? How foolish."**

Ryu narrowed his eye at the beast and held his sword in a defensive fashion as the Yoma hunched forward "I don't think I can, I _know _I can." He informed confidently.

The Yoma sneered before launching itself at the man who ducked under its swipe surprising the Yoma who had been moving fast enough for the average human to be unable to follow. A sudden burst of pain along its midsection informed the Yoma that its moment of distraction Ryu slashed at its stomach opening a long cut **"Bastard!" **The Yoma growled trying to backhand the man who danced out of the way even before the Yoma had even moved **"How? How are you dodging me!?"**

Ryu simply smirked as he ducked under another strike and lashed out with his sword cutting the hand of the Yoma off with what seemed to be surprising ease "You really shouldn't underestimate the ingenuity of humans demon," He informed calmly as he put some distance between them and flourished his katana "This is no normal sword, not even the metal used to forge it isn't normal, this sword will never break, nor will its edge dull or fail to cut. Like the claymores wielded by the silver eyed witches, this sword is meant to kill Yoma. Give it to a man that has years of combat under his belt, and you demons are in trouble."

"**Don't get cocky Human!**" The Yoma shouted its fingers extended lancing out as Ryu swayed to the side tsking as one of the fingers skinned his left temple cutting the headband making it flutter to the ground **"W...What the hell?" **The Yoma asked in shock as the falling headband revealed what was contained underneath it. Ryu dashed forward at an impressive speed his sword lancing out in a groin-to-head slash catching the Yoma unaware as a thin line appeared directly in its middle "**I see... **_**that **_**is why they call you the 'Demon Eye'... how... fitting...**"

The Yoma's body fell into two pieces its purple blood spraying everywhere as Ryu stared down at the body impassively with his right eye closed and his left eye glowing the same eerie gold as the Yoma with a slit iris, he closed the eye and reopened his green one before flicking the blood off of his katana and waled over to his scabbard and sheathed the blade.

"Ye have the eye of the demons..." Adie stated as she shakily stepped out of the inn alongside Kel while other villagers came out of their homes staring fearfully between him and the Yoma's corpse "What manner of beast be ye?"

Ryu smiled grimly as he turned to the innkeeper "I am a human, at least I think I am," He assured "When I first fought a Yoma it took my eye to kill it, so I took its eye, I'm not sure what came over me but I shoved its eye into my empty socket. I then fell unconscious and when I woke up I was able to see through its eye, I was able to see the auras of people and could tell who was a Yoma and who wasn't, I can even pick out the Silver Eyed Witches."

"Ye be cursed child," Adie warned "There be good reason males are not used as Claymores."

Ryu smirked "I am fully aware of the curse I carry," He replied his eye glinting dangerously "And I fully intend to take as many of those demons out before I hit my limit, on that day should I be to cowardly to take my life I will seek out a Silver Eyed Slayer and allow them to kill me. I understand if you wish for me to leave now."

"That not be necessary," Adie assured casting her eyes over to the dead Yoma "The least we can do for saving _all _of us is provide you a bed for the night."

There were nods all around as everyone started to return to their homes some casting grateful looks to the warrior, other distrustful. Ryu sighed as he picked up the remains of his headband and pocketed them before heading back into the inn and back up to his room "You're still staying the night with me?" Ryu asked slightly surprised turning to face Kel who had followed him back to his room.

She blushed slightly "Can... can you show me it... the eye?" She asked hesitantly making Ryu blink in surprise although he did open his left eye revealing his glittering golden eye "It's... pretty," She said softly her hands on either side of his face as she looked him in the eye "It doesn't look like a demon's eye, it holds a gentleness to it..."

Ryu smiled slightly "You are the first to look into my eye without flinching," He revealed "It's a rather novel experience..."

Kel smiled as she went up to her tip toes and kissed Ryu gently before pushing him back onto the bed and climbed on top of him with a surprisingly sultry smile considering her innocent appearance and demeanor "Make love to me again," She asked kissing his jawline "I want to see you make love to me with both of your eyes."

"Who am I to deny such a request," Ryu said as he flipped them over and crushed his lips against her.

_Next Morning_

Ryu looked over his shoulder as Kel moaned as her eyes fluttered open "You're leaving?" She asked her soft voice filled with apprehension.

"Yeah," He confirmed pulling on his armor before sitting on the bed "It's probably best I keep moving... I'd rather not risk my curse taking me over suddenly near such kind people like you."

Kel looked at him her blue eyes shimmering with unshed tears "Will you visit?" She asked hopefully.

"Perhaps," He said looking over to her with both of his eyes open "But I can make no promises, not even I can know when my curse will stop being a benefit."

"I understand." Kel said ducking her head her voice slightly dejected.

Ryu reached over and cupped her chin lifted her face to meet her eyes "You can find a person much better than myself Kel," He informed confidently "I would only bring you sadness and regrets." He kissed her lips gently "I will always cherish our night and the kindness you have shown me despite my curse, goodbye Kel, live a long and happy life."

Kel blinked back her tears and spread her lips in a teary smile as Ryu stood up and pick up his weapons and pack, with one last smile he left the room leaving the woman to her tears.

Ryu looked over to Adie as he came downstairs, the woman looked back at him her eyes searching "Ye be doing the right thing child," She assured "She'll be sad for a time, but her heart will heal and move on."

Ryu nodded and placed some gold pieces on the bar "Thank you Adie," He said gratefully "You and you village have shown me a great kindness."

Adie nodded and looked at his eyes curiously inspecting it "While ye curse be a gift, ye best be careful," She informed "And should ye need a haven we be ready to welcome ye."

Ryu smiled and bowed "Thank you mistress," He said respectfully straightening up when the door opened as Ron stepped in carrying a bundle of arrows "Sir I..."

Ron held up a hand to silence Ryu and looked the man over "My daughter is old enough to choose her own path now," He stated "Here are the arrows you wanted, I had the local Fletcher make the shafts for you."

Ryu smiled gratefully and accepted the arrows and slid them into the quiver "My thanks." He said one last time shaking the smith's hand and headed for the door, casting one last look to the stairs he stepped out and left the village pulling on his repaired headband back over his left eye and started walking to the west.

"He be having a large destiny before him," Adie stated her eyes on the closed door "We be hearing much of him in the future."

Ron hummed folding his large arms across his chest "We need to keep a more careful eye on the deaths around here," He rumbled "We should have realized that a Yoma was in the area."

Adie nodded her eyes leaving the door as Kel walked down the stair wearing her outfit from yesterday "Ye need to move on from him lass," She stated to the girl who stared at the door "He not be a man to be contained in one place for long, the need to fight the demons runs deep inside of him."

Kel sighed but nodded as she turned to her father with shimmering eyes "He... he was like no one I had ever met..." She said trying to explain herself only to stop as he gently rested a hand on her shoulder.

"I understand," He assured "He is a man who carries an energy about him, he is a man who can lead, a natural charisma."

Kel nodded as she buried her face into her father's chest and he wrapped his arms around her shoulders comfortingly.

_With Ryu_

Ryu sighed as he walked through the forest path _'Don't feel bad for leaving her,' _He ordered himself _'It's better this way... better than having to see this curse take me over one day...'_

He stopped as he came upon a clearing in the woods and looked around his eye showing some recognition _'Here, it started here, Five years ago,' _He recalled _'It seemed like a lifetime ago...'_

_Flashback, Ten Years ago_

"Now attack!" The order rang out through the the wooded area causing a younger looking Ryu who had both of his green eyes and less scars on his body to leap to his feet and start running through the tree unsheathing his katana as he ran towards a group of bandits that were camped out in a clearing.

He was with a group of ten people, seven other guys and two girls, all of whom were outfitted in various types of armor, form the leader's gleaming steel plate armor to the scout's tooled leather breast plate that snugly fit her ever curve. They were outnumbered 3 to 1, but, not only did they have the element of surprise though, they also had the tactical superiority.

The three archers in their small company were up in the tree and started raining arrows down upon the bandits who had been attacking a rather important trade route that connected the east and central lands, they had been hired to eliminate them permanently. Ryu sidestepped a man who was easily twice his weight in pure muscle and moved into the man's blindspot stabbing his sword deep into the man's back sliding it through the ribs and into his heart and slid it back out turning to his next opponent before the man even hit the ground. He never even flinched as an arrow whizzed past him from behind and into a bandit's throat making him gurgle out as blood filled his lungs.

He blocked a sword swipe and angled his katana so that sword slid off before swinging his sword cutting deep into the criminal's throat slicing through the man's jugular vein causing blood to spurt out as the man cried out in pain.

Ryu looked down dispassionately as the man tried to futilely stem his bleeding as the light started to dim in his eyes. Looking away Ryu scanned the clearing to see that the rest of bandits had been dealt with by his allies who were panting slightly from the exertion "Scary moves as always, eh Ryu?" A feminine voice asked calling his attention to a woman with deep red hair and dark brown eyes that looked at him humorously, she was wearing a steel breastplate with a gilded symbol for 'Warrior' over her right breast and an armored skirt, at her side was a blessed broadsword from Rabona "That 'In'ei Ho (Shadow Step)' of yours, get into their blind spots and hit a vital spot before they can react, scary technique dude, if I didn't know any better I'd say it's a Claymore's style of fighting."

Ryu snorted as he flicked the blood off his katana before sheathing it "As if Asura," He retorted with a smirk "They'd have no need for such a tricky style with all that strength they've got."

Asura laughed as she lightly punched his shoulder "That's what I like about ya Ryu," She announced grabbing his shoulder in an one armed hug "So modest!"

Ryu merely sighed and shook his head used to his friends antics after growing up with one another "Ryu, Asura, stop flirting and help with the cleanup!" The leader of their little band shouted in irritation as the other's started picking through the dead looking for any valuables or supplies they could use, he was a massive man easily a good foot and a half taller than Ryu with muscles to match wearing a full suit of armor that had taken him his entire teenage life to save up for.

Most would consider looting the bodies of the dead a rather grotesque and horrid practice, but Ryu had long since accepted the fact that the dead had no need for the goods and it was best to make use of what they could to supplement the pay they got. Within short order they were packed up and heading back to the town that had hired them. The bandits had been praying on caravans heading to Rabona to either trade there or to move to one of other lands that bordered the holy city and as such they garnered attention in the form of the local towns who banded together to hire them to deal with the bandits permanently.

"All right everyone, you know the drill!" Their leader shouted as they entered the town "Sell the stuff you grabbed and keep the profits out of the supplies you purchase. Have fun but any damages to the town come from your pay!"

Laughs echoed through the merc group as Asura grabbed Ryu's wrist and started pulling him along in her excitement "C'mon Ryu, I heard there's a trader from the Southern Lands here!" She demanded as they moved through the crowd tugging the teen along behind her "I heard he has some good weapons too!"

Ryu sighed before chuckling at his childhood friend's excitement "You and weapons Asura," He said smirking "Sometimes I wonder if you have some 'private time' with them."

Asura's blush nearly matched her hair as she turned to Ryu "It's not like that!" She protested in embarrassment.

"Methinks thou doth protest to much," Ryu said in a singsong voice making Asura swipe at him with her fist only for him to slide under into her blindspot and keep walking laughing merrily "Come come," He said sounding like a cliche old master "We must find you a new toy for your pleasure!"

"RYU!" Asura shouted angrily taking off after the laughing teen who continually danced out of her range.

_Later_

Ryu yawn as he collapsed face first onto the soft mattress of the inn his group were bunking in for the night "Real bed," He groaned out in pleasure making Asura giggle as she sat on the bed next to him wearing a simple blouse and skirt and placed a hand on his back causing him to turn his head and look up to her with soft eyes "Asura..."

"Thank you Ryu," She said softly "Thank you for doing his with me, I know it's selfish but..."

Ryu smiled as he turned over and brought her down to him lightly kissing her lips "I stand by you always Asura," He assured smiling at his friend-turned-lover "Besides with us putting away the money form this we'll easily be able to afford the house in Rabona you always wanted. We could get jobs in the city guard, have kids and have the little hellions run around town terrorizing priests..."

Asura giggled as she draped herself over Ryu and kissed him deeply putting her love into it "Sounds like fun," She whispered "Soon... we will achieve _our_ dream."

Ryu couldn't hep but smile as she leaned down and kissed him again, save this one was filled with lust. Just as things began to heat up, however, a high-pitched scream caught their attention followed by their leader's voice "ENEMY! EVERYONE ASSEMBLE!" He roared powerfully causing the two of them to leap off their bed and throw their armor on and grabbed their swords before heading outside the inn.

The pair froze as the exited the inn as before them stood a pair of Yoma, blood dripping off their c laws "Oh no..." Asura whispered her eyes wide as she saw three of their comrades already dead.

"ARCHERS GET INTO POSITION!" The leader boomed out snapping everyone out of their revere "SWORDSMEN AT THE READY! OUR CLIENT WANTS US TO KILL THESE THINGS!"

Ryu and Asura forced themselves to move putting their fear to the side as they charged forward swords at the ready. Ryu took two quick sidesteps as he moved into the blindspot of the nearest Yoma while Asura and the leader caught the beasts attention with a frontal charge. The beast raised a hand and its fingers extended attempting to spear the two.

The leader raised up his shield taking the finger spears on it and wrenched it away as they started to pierce the dense metal to prevent them from harming him and Asura. "KYAA!" Asura shouted as she leapt forward in a burst of speed her broadsword swinging in for the kill.

The Yoma growled as he brought up a hand catching the blade easily in his palm "Filthy humans," He snarled as he curled his hand around the blade and used it as leverage to throw Asura into a building "You should just lay down and die like the prey you are!"

"We are not your prey!" Ryu shouted as he appeared behind the Yoma his sword quickly piercing the tough skin getting a pained yell of surprise as Ryu danced back flicking the purple Yoma blood off of his sword "Guess we really do have to cut off your head."

"BASTARD!" The beast yelled charging at Ryu surprising the swordsman with his speed barely able to bring up his gauntlet in time to take the brunt of the Yoma's open palm smack that sent him hurtling into a building causing him to cough up blood as his back slammed into the wall "Just die!" The beast roared as he raised his hand and extended his spear like fingers towards the prone Ryu.

"NO!" The feminine cry was heard shortly before the same female voice cried out in pain.

Ryu's eyes snapped open to the sight of Asura being held up before him impaled by the beasts finger spears "A...sura..." He whispered tears pouring out of his eyes, the finger spears withdrew causing her body to fall to the ground only to be caught by Ryu as he cradled her body against his "Asura! Asura!"

Asura's eyes fluttered open to see Ryu crying over her body "R...yu..." She whispered as blood started to dribble out of her mouth "Are... are you... okay...?"

"Why?" Ryu sobbed as he futility tried to stem the blood loss from Asura's wounds "Why did you do that? What about your dream?"

"Wasn't... wasn't worth it... if I... lost you... Ryu..." Asura answered a smile gracing her bloody lips, her brown eyes starting to dim "So long... as you live... I'm... happy..."

"Stay with Asura, please, stay with me, I... can't lose you... I love you too much..." Ryu pleaded desperately shaking her lightly "I'll do anything, just... please... don't leave me..."

"I lo...ve... y...ou..." Asura managed to whisper out before the light left her eyes and the final gasp of air left her lungs.

Ryu sobbed as he hugged her body close to him and froze when he heard the Yoma who had killed Asura laugh a deep guttural laugh "How cute," He sneered at Ryu "Don't worry, you'll be joining her soon enough... IN MY STOMACH!" The Yoma laughed again but paused when he heard Ryu mumble something "What was that Human?"

(**Start Playing Disturbed: Ten Thousand Fists**)

Ryu looked up at the Yoma tears streaming from eyes that burn with a cold anger "I said: Die." Ryu said coldly the word cutting across the battlefield as he rose to his feet holding both his own and Asura's blade "Tsuin In'ei Ho: Kakure Hiko, Sokushi (Twin Shadow Step: Hidden Flight, Instant Death)." He said as his body seemingly vanished from the Yoma's view.

To everyone else Ryu made two quick sliding steps before leaping into the air over the Yoma the two swords flashing as the broadsword caught into the Yoma's shoulder that Ryu used as leverage to change his flight path to encircle the beast and bring his katana around to cut the Yoma's head off. By then the Yoma had realized what was happening and brought his opposite hand to smack Ryu away only for Ryu to bring his feet up and use his hand as a springboard to push himself away from the beast dragging Asura's sword out with him.

With a neat flip Ryu landed on his feet his expression unchanged as he ignored his fellow mercenaries as they battled the other Yoma "Tsuin In'ei Ho: Shuryo no ha, insho kage(Hunting Blades, Striking Shadow)." He whispered as he charged forward sidestepping a set of finger spears before using a sliding step to get into the Yoma's blindspot evading his other hand that smacked with the ground. The swords flashed as purple blood sprayed out the offending arm dropping to the ground as the Yoma screeched in pain reeling back away form Ryu.

Ryu took another quick pair of sliding steps that brought him next to the Yoma who finally reopened his eyes only to not see Ryu in front of him "Tsuin In'ei Ho: Tsuin Ken Zanshu (Tsuin Sword Beheading)." He heard the deadly whisper right before the two blades cut into each side of his neck neatly beheading the beast.

Ryu turned from the body as it dropped to the ground and brought his attention to the remaining Yoma who held the leader above him skewered on his finger spears drinking the man's blood as the rest of the company lay around him dead. The beast look down from where he had raised his head to get better access to the dripping blood "Oh, you managed to kill Grund huh?" The beast asked inquisitively allowing the leader's body to drop with a thud behind him "Not bad human, but you will not be strong enough."

"Tsuin In'ei Ho: Iron Curtain, False Movement." Ryu whispered as he moved forward his blades held before him in an x-like fashion. The Yoma smirked as he charged forward himself at such a speed that the ground cracked under the force of his acceleration. The Yoma reared his arm back and smirked when he saw Ryu make to step to the left and swing his arm down a blurring speeds only to his dead air. Pain blossomed on his right side as purple blood sprayed out of a long, deep, cut to his flank that appeared as Ryu appeared on his right and behind him already spinning to strike at his opponent's back only for the Yoma to spin himself catching the striking broadsword in the palm of his left hand as his right made a knife strike at Ryu's face only for the man to jerk his head to the right causing the blow to instead tear into the left side of his face gouging out his eye.

Ryu screamed in pain as he let go of Asura's sword his hand going to cover the gaping wound as he glared at the Yoma who licked his blood off of his fingers "Interesting taste," The Yoma mused "I almost want to say it taste stagnant like Yoma flesh, but the sweetness of human flesh overpowers it. Really, it's like a phantom taste."

Ryu panted as he reached down, never taking his remaining eye off the Yoma, and tore a strip of cloth off a fallen comrade and used it as a makeshift bandage over his new wound "Enjoy it while you can demon," He growled holding his katana at his side preparing for a final strike "It will be the last blood you ever taste. In'ei Ho: Ten Ikari (Heaven's Anger)."

The Yoma growled as he hunched over and catapulted towards the swordsman who remained still until the Yoma was scant inches in front of him a hand coming in on his new blind spot. When the hand was just a hair away from hitting him Ryu blurred into motion ducking down as he leapt forward his sword surging forward cutting through the Yoma's shoulder and deep into his chest cavity before coming out.

The Yoma collapsed to the ground as Ryu turned and approached the beast who was panting heavily from the wound "An Eye for an Eye, a Life for a Life," Ryu whispered as he plunged his hand into the Yoma's skull and removed it's eye as it gurgled in pain with blood flooding it's lungs. Acting upon some unknown impulse deep within him Ryu rose the eye to his now empty socket he moved the bandage aside and shoved it in screaming as he felt something burn within the socket.

The Yoma stared up at him in confusion and laughed weakly "You.. now carry a cursed eye human, you will become one of us now..." It taunted in a gurgling voice "Too bad I can't see your... fall..."

Ryu glared down at the now dead Yoma moving his makeshift bandage down over his wound once more "I will take my own life before that happens," He swore coldly before looking around him, everyone from the Mercenary company was dead or well on their way to death. He staggered over to Asura's body and collapsed to his knees next to her "Asura..." He whispered brushing her cheek ignoring the villagers who were starting to look outside.

Ryu looked up blankly as he heard footsteps before him to see the village chief standing there a mournful look on his face "I know that it doesn't bring them back... but here," He handed out a large sack of Beras "We can also help you bury the dead, it's the least we can do for them saving us. And you need your wounds tended to."

Ryu shook his head as he picked Asura up in his arms "Bury them... please," He requested "And, I need a shovel..." A villager stepped forward a spade over to Ryu who managed to position his load so that he could carry it and Asura "Thank you."

Ryu stated walking away ignoring the protests of the villagers as he headed out of the village and out onto a clifftop that overlooked the Central lands in the distance and started digging. He dug for hours not bothered by the pain of his wounds, not even noticing as the pain from his eye socket vanished and a low throb was in it's place nor the fact that his wounds had started to scab far more quickly than usual. By the time he was finished digging the hole the sun had started to creep up over the horizon "Asura, I'm sorry I couldn't get you back home," He whispered lowering the woman into the grave he dug "I know it's not what you want from me, but I can never again rest easy with those demons roaming the land, until the day this curse starts to take me over I am going to continue hunting them, and on that day, I swear to you Asura, I will rejoin you..."

His final words spoken to his dead lover he shoveled the dirt back in with care and used some rocks to line the grave before shoving her sword at the head of it "Goodbye Asura, I'll see you soon enough." He whispered turning away and headed down the path refusing himself to look back knowing he'd never leave should he do so.

_End Flashback_

Ryu stood before Asura's grave once more surprised at how well maintained it was kept and the fact that not only did her sword look just like how he left it, but it was never stolen, there were even a fresh offering of flowers on the grave "Asura..." He greeted a fond smile on his face "How have you been? I'm still alive and kicking myself... met an interesting girl not to long ago and before you say anything a man has _needs _y'know! I'm kinda sad to leave her behind though, she one of the few who showed no fear at this cursed eye of mine... I miss you, but like always, I take one step at a time... I have to get going Asura, I'll see you again, I promise."

Ryu once again turned away from the grave of his dead lover and headed down the path to parts unknown.

END CHAPTER

**VOTING TIME! Since I'm not really certain myself, I want _you _to tell me what to do in regards to this story, should I A) Set this in the Era of Clare, Miria and so forth, or B) place him in the Era of Teresa? Please review and vote!**


End file.
